Transient calcium elevation in polymorphonuclear leukocytes triggered by thrombin-activated platelets.

The effect of thrombin-activated platelets and their release products on the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was studied by loading PMNs with a fluorescent indicator of calcium, fura-2. [Ca2+]i of PMNs was transiently elevated by thrombin-activated platelets. The supernatant of thrombin-activated platelets also elicited a transient elevation of [Ca2+]i in PMNs. Pretreatment of the supernatant with hexokinase caused a decrease in the transient [Ca2+]i elevation of PMNs, while hexokinase abrogated the [Ca2+]i elevation of PMNs elicited by 80 mumol/l adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Pretreatment of the supernatant with trypsin also decreased the magnitude of the elevation, while trypsin had no effect on the response to ATP. These findings suggest that thrombin-activated platelets induce a transient [Ca2+]i elevation in PMNs by releasing ATP and some trypsin-sensitive factor(s).